A DARWEN woman queried whether a nicotine patch had played a part in the sudden death of her 38-year-old partner.

An inquest heard Andrea West left Garry Lee Cowburn asleep on the settee when she went to bed but came down in the middle of the night to find him gasping for breath.

A post mortem examination could not establish a medical cause of death.

And after hearing that medical science had not come up with any answers Miss West raised the issue of the nicotine patch.

She said Garry had tried one eight months earlier but had suffered a reaction. She said he had felt hot and dizzy.

Dr Joanne Wilkinson said she had been interested to hear of the nicotine patch but felt it unlikely to have played a part in his death.

"I did not find any evidence of an allergic reaction," said Dr Wilkinson, who agreed with coroner Michael Singleton that the term sudden adult death syndrome was something of a "catch all" for when someone died unexpectedly and no medical cause of death could be found.

"I had hoped to set out today why this young man of reasonable health should die so suddenly," said Mr Singleton.

"I am sorry that you are not going to go away with a clear indication of what might have happened."

Miss West told how she and Garry had been at their home in Astley Street on October 24 and he had drunk a few cans. He fell asleep on the settee and she left him, expecting him to join her in bed shortly.

About 3.30am she heard a gasping noise and went downstairs to find Garry in difficulty. She shouted and prodded him but got no response.

"I shook him and threw a glass of water over him but he didn't respond," she said.

The coroner recorded a verdict of natural causes.